Metal silo.



C. H. SNOW, Sn.

METAL SILO.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7. 191a.

Patented Jan. 2, 191?".

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- I mm z m APPLICATION FILED APR.7,1915.

c. H. SNOW, s3.

METAL sue.

ilatented J 2, 191?;

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W &-

TE s AES CLYDE H. SNOW, SR., OF ONONDAGA, MICHIGAN.

METAL SILO.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 191?.

Application filed April 7, 1916. Serial No. 89,616.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, CLYDE H. SNOW, Sn,

.a citizen of the United States, residing at BIICB- One of the most important advantages of my invention is that the silo may be constructed without any special staging other than the parts actually used in the erection of'the walls, as will appear. It is a purpose to give a desirable form of metal wall panel especially free from liability of ingress of water at the joints.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will appear from the construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and shown in the drawings, where Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a silo constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view thereof, Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the wall panels,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1 showing the joint between two wall panels, Fig. 5 is a detail of one ofthe uprights, at its upper part, Fig. 6 is a detail of. the manner of forming and attachin cross bars at the door-ways, whereby lia ility of shearing of bolts is minimized, Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail of a door'frame piece and the cross bar, showing one method of attachment, Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the doorway, Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective interior view showing the manner in which platforms are supported upon the structure during construction, Fig. 10, is a detail fragmentary perspective view of the chute construction, and Fig. 11 is a detail perspective viewv of pivotal connections between parts of the appar'atus.. There is illustratd' a silo erected upon any suitable foundation 10, upon which in a circular series there are located vertical elements or uprights 11 placed upon the outside 21d upon the inside wall of the structure and each formed of rolled sheet iron in the form of a segment of a cylinder. At intervals on the convex side of these uprights there are secured, by means of bolts 12 plates 13, carrying lugs 14 centrally thereof having vertical openings therethrough. If desired, the uprights may be made in sections with a scarf joint as shown in Fig. 5, where the upright has a joint the lower section 15 of which has a plate 16 attached to the front side thereof conforming to its shape, the section 15 stopping midway of the plate, while an upper section 17 is rested thereon and similarly secured to the plate 16. The section 17 is in this instance illustrated as atop section portion of the upright, and has an outwardly extended eave piece 18, which may be utilized in connection with the building of the roof, or may be otherwise formed as desired. The plate 16 in this instance has the central portion pressed outwardly as at 19, forming a sort of loop behind which may be inserted the end of a bracket arm 21, as shown in Fig. 1, the upper edge of the loop portion being notched as at 20, to allow the arms to set therein and be held against oscillation. This is one of the principal purposes for the use of the lug on each plate, but they also may be used in securing stays 22 extending diagonally outward and downwardly, and secured to suitable bolts in the foundation 10, whereby the silo is held firmly to its foundation, minimizing liability of upsetting by wind pressure.

In addition to the uprights 11, which comprise the principal vertical elements in the structure, there are provided two door frame vuprights 25, each having an outer side porthe arc of the portion 26. The uprights 25 are secured in' position by means of cross bars 28, comprising small T-irons having their end portions bent to correspond to the shape of the portions 26 and 27, and being secured thereto by .suitable bolts or rivets. At the point of riveting theflanges of the T-iron are slightly bowed outwardly, so as to lie spaced a short distance from the' surface of the upright 25, the bolts extending across these spaces under the bowed parts, this relation of the surfaces of the secured member serving to prevent shearing of the bolts to a large degree. Between each two adjacent uprights'll there are secured wall panels 30, the lower ones of which may be set partly in the concrete, as may be the uprights'25 if desired. This setting would be attained by erecting the silo upon a foundation floor of less height than that shown in Fig. 1, and subsequently placing additional .concrete in and around the bases of the wall. This is not material, however, and the silo may be erected upon the upper surface of the foundation floor if desired. The panels 30 are each of rectangular form, including a planiform central panel body proper 31, lateral swivel securing flanges 32, extending throughout the vertical dimension of the panel at each side, and serve to fit snugly against the inner surface of the uprights 11. Transverse slots 33 are formed in the flanges 32 spaced a short distance from their upper and lower edges, being. adapted to receive the nearest bolts of two vertically adjacent plates 13, which bolts are properly spaced for the purpose. The upper edge portion of each panel between the flanges 32 is curved outwardly and downwardly as at 34, this upper edge portion being extended beyond the top edges of the flanges 32 a suitable distance for this purpose. At the lower edge'of the panel it is extended a distance beyond the adjacent similar edges of the flanges 32, this extended portion being turned abruptly upward, and then curved outwardly and downwardly to fit snugly over the edge portion 34 of a subjacent panel vertically alined therewith. The bolts 12 in each plate 13 are so spaced as to properly engage respectively in the upper and lower slots 33 of superposed panels. In securing the panels in place after the flanges 32 are properly disposed in the uprights, a vertical supplementary curved channel piece 36 is presented inwardly of the flanges 32, shaped to engage snugly in the innermost one, and having apertures spaced in accordance with the location of the bolts 12, to .receive the bolts therethrough. There may be any desired number of these channel plates used, as, one for each joint between superposed channels, or a channel piece extending'over a number of panel flanges.

On each door upright, there are secured a plurality of plates 40, having lugs 41 formed thereon on which hinge devices42: are engaged, carrying doors 43. These doors each comprises a rectangular blank of suit able sheet metal having vertical'edge portions curved as at 4-4to fit snugly in the adjacent inner side portion 27 of the door upright. One of the plates 40 is located adjacent the upper part of each door, and

one adjacent the, lower part of each door.

The door hinge "devices comprise a base pivot piece 45 at top and bottom, comprising an arm having at its base or end a downwardly extended pin 46 adapted to be set revolubly in the socket lug 41, and at its outer end formed with an enlarged sleeve 47 extending vertically downward, both the sleeve and pin 46 being at. right anglesto the plane of the arm 45 which is slightly curved and of a length to swing through the door opening and lie with the sleeve 47 as dotted in Fig. 2, thellug 41 being spaced sufliciently outward from the frame piece 25 to readily, permit the hinge piece 45 to swing in this manner. The hinge device includes also a door supporting or ladder arm 48, including a considerably elongated rectangular rung portion 49,- its inner end being curved approximately at right angles to'the rung and formed with a pivot sleeve 50, adapted to be set revolubly in the sleeve 47, its outer end being curved In order that both of the hinge elements may move togetheror be operated simultaneously, a rod 53' is co-engaged through both of the sleeves 50, as shown. The lugs 41 are located sufliciently outward from the uprights 25 to permit the outer end ofthe arms 44 to swing outwardly against the upright 25 past a line drawn through the pivot 52 and the pin 46 when the door 43 is snugly engaged in closed position, this forming a lock. By simply pulling outwardly on the rod '53 considerable leverage may be exerted to force the door from its seat, in addition to relieving it from its locked condition as before described," In opening the inwardly as door the arm 45 is first swung far as it will go, as shown in Fig. 3, after which the arm 48 is swung inwardly while the door is moved pivotally thereon to turn its inner side outwardly, and the swinging movement of the arm 48 continued until the deer 1s moved into clese engagement against reread? I a j v y the inner side of the anel to the left ofthe dooropeninjg'. .The. ars 28am located as to lap" thejoints' between Y vertically adj cent doors; and may be-located as closely adjacent the outer surface. of the doors-as desired, to prevent beating ofrain through the joint between the doors or for other purposes.

I I am able by the use of the plates 13 and the lugs 14.- and the absence of rods or other tie elements before the panels to construct a chute as shown at 60 in B =gS. 1 and 2, which may be utilized to prevent scattering of food thrown from the silo. The chute con- 15 sists of a plurality of sheets of metal curved transversely, as at 61, having upper and lower horizontal edges 34 and 35 similar to those of the panels 30, the upper edges oeing turned out and the lower edges bein curved outwardly to set snugly over the upper edges of an y chute sections that may be disposed in vertical alinement therebeneath. They are of a size to abut at their vertical edges against two adjacent uprights 11, immediately inward of the plates 13, and are so held by means of hoop yokes 62, each formed of ordinary iron rod bent to suitable form at its middle part, and having its ends turned outwardly and downwardly for engagement in the lugs 14 at opposite sides of the chute. Thus, these yokes may fit quite snugly against the chute sections under the outturned upper edges 3 L, holding them against the silo uprights firmly 5 and preventing downward slipping thereof. The chute may also be constructed before the doorway if desired, as shown in Fig. 10, by forming it of suitable proportions to permit manipulation of the door hinge devices therewithin. The hinge device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is somewhat larger than necessary in proportion to the size of the door and doorway, so that it will not be difficult to arrange for the operation of the doors from within the chute. In the erection of the silo, a number of upright sections are adjusted in position to receive the panels, which may be done by laying the uprights upon the ground, two or three uprights being used at first and a few panel sections engaged therewith at their lower parts in order to hold them in approximate proper relation. The bolts 12 are loosely engaged through the flanges 32,

and suit-able nuts put in place, after which the uprights and attached sections may be adjusted in their approximate permanent position upon the foundation. A new up right is then put in proper position with respect to one of those having panels already attached, and a new panel engaged between the new upright and the next adjacent pre- .viousl erected one, which will serve to hold t e uprights in position. Several panels may be engaged with each upright as it 1 is erected, and this process continued until the desired number of panels circumferen tially are in placeor the approximate 'dianr. etei of thesilo .desired'has been attained.

,The door frame uprightsmay be incor-Q poratedat the proper position, as will bereadily understood it not being important whether building erection is started with the door frame or Whether that is incorporated last or intermediately, although it is thought desirable to incorporate the door frame as a part of the initial erection. As soon as the complete circle of the wall completed, the structure even in its weakly attached condition will. be found quite stable, and the up rights may then be adjusted to bring them into line with the proper circle, and the lowermost panels in position firmly secured. thus preventing accidental displacement of the uprights or wall portions subsequently. When the panels have been put in place to a height close to the level of a workmans head, or before, bracket arms such as shown at 21 may be'engaged in the lugs the outside of the uprights and boards l l thereon serving as a platform for the wor men while emplacing subsequent panels. the inside of the silo, 1' am able to use hr ets such as shown at 65, each formed grally, and consisting of a horizontal 66 and a diagonal arm 67, each arm having at its extremity a fork 68 adapted to snugly engage under the head of a bolt, or around bolt under the nut. By loosening ecrtai' of the bolts 12 securing the panels in. these brackets mav be adjusted in. pos ion and boards laid thereacross as indicated in Fig. 9, so that workmen may operate within or without the silo with equal facility, and without requiring the erection of any spe' cial staging. The doors are preferably adjusted in position as the work proceeds, out after completion of the circular wall from one side of the door to the other at the lower part, and after the lowermost panels have been secured to hold the wall firmly in proper form. Thehinge portions of the doors may then be used as ladders for ascension to the upper part of the structure.

What is claimed:

1. A structure of the character described comprising'a series of uprights two adjacent ones serving as door frame elements means to fix the last named elements in a predetermined relation, a closure for the space between said frame elements, and tically superposed series of panel elements between each other two adjacent uprights having curved side portions, the side portions of horizontal adjacent panels being overlapped for slidable adjustment to vary the angular relation of the panels, and meais to secure the panels in adjusted. positions and to the uprights. l

2 ii. circular wall construction compris thereof, and alined with said fastening .ments,=a nd means cooperating with the fascomprising planiiorm body portions and vertical curved edge portions shaped towfit snugly' in overlapped relation against the.

uprights, and having slots transversely tening elements to secure the panel sections in assembled relation. I

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- CLYDE H. SNOW, SR.

Witnesses:

C. M. CAsLuR, CLARA OASLER. 

